Neil Channing is easily one of the most recognizable UK poker pros of the last decade. He’s won several major events, including the 2008 Paddy Power Irish Poker Open and the 2010 GUKPT. He’s been nominated for the upcoming British Poker Awards for his extensive work on Black Belt Poker. Most recently, Channing has been contracted by the popular UK poker site, SkyPoker, to play the role of brand ambassador alongside fellow British pro Julian Thew.
Now 47 years of age, Neil Channing has been playing poker since he was 12. Over the years, he has contributed to the game in many more ways than just being a respectable role model for the sport. The UK poker player is known for his jovial, good humored attitude on the felt, even when the cards aren’t falling in his favor; an exact opposite of some professional poker players whose emotional swings have earned them adverse nicknames, like Phil ‘The Poker Brat’ Hellmuth Jr. and Mike ‘The Mouth’ Matusow.
Channing has been an avid contributor to Bluff Magazine over the years, and has been authoring his own blog on Black Belt Poker since the site launched five years ago. Channing and fellow UK poker pro Nik Persaud co-founded Black Belt Poker as an online cardroom and training site in April of 2009, with Channing being a featured pro alongside WSOP bracelet winner Richard Ashby. Prior to that, he was sponsored for live events by PokerVerdict.
Ostensibly, Neil Channing will have no problem filling his new shoes at SkyPoker. His responsibilities include the same type of tasks he’s been satisfying for years now; competing in live poker tournaments, endorsing the brand, authoring blog posts and interacting with the online poker community on SkyPoker’s forums. He will also make regular appearances on SkyPoker TV and will, of course, frequent the site’s online poker cash tables.
Currently sitting in the 8th ranked position on the all-time money list for England, Channing has accumulated $3,401,388 (GBP £2,154,727) in live poker tournament cashes dating back to 2000, and untold millions more at the cash tables where he specializes. The most rewarding victory of the 47 year old poker pro’s career came in 2008 at the Irish Poker Open, when he survived a field of 667 at the €4,500 NLHE Main Event for €801,401.
Channing has experienced numerous in-the-money finishes at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. He’s raked in $1,196,878 across 32 cashes and 3 final table appearances, but the coveted WSOP bracelet continues to eluded him.
The UK poker pro and avid editorialist is considered a probable favorite to win a British Poker Award in the Reader’s Choice category of Best Social Media User. Channing, who won the BPA for Best Blogger in March, faces stiff competition, though. Voters will be choosing between Channing, female pro and poker personality Liv Boeree, current BPA Poker Personality of the Year Sam Grafton, current BPA Best Social Media User Victoria Coren Mitchell, and personal blogger Dale ‘Daleroxxu’ Philip.